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Jamestown police are warning those who own Kia vehicles to be aware of a rash of thefts of Kia vehicles across the city.
In a Facebook post Friday, the department said they are investigating several thefts of Kia vehicles that have been stolen overnight while recommending owners take action to keep their vehicle safe.
"Recently, we have had numerous Kia vehicles stolen during the overnight hours across the whole city," the department said. "The suspects are breaking a window on the vehicle and tampering with the ignition to start and drive it. Patrol and detectives are diligently working to identify and locate the suspects. If you own a Kia vehicle and have the ability to park it in a garage or well-lit busy area, we are suggesting you do so. Do not leave valuables or keys in any vehicle. If you see suspicious individuals, suspicious activity or car alarms going off please call 911."
Dunkirk Police issued a similar warning in March. While Dunkirk police said Kia and Hyundai vehicles were being targeted they said other brands shouldn't be ruled out.
Kia vehicles have long had a reputation as easy to steal. In December, under a settlement reached between Hyundai and Kia and 35 state attorneys general, the automaker was required to offer free repairs to millions of models. The states argued Hyundai and Kia vehicles weren't equipped with proper anti-theft technology, leaving them vulnerable to thefts.
Under the nationwide settlement, the companies will offer a free repair to all eligible vehicles at a cost that could top $500 million. Hyundai and Kia must also outfit all future vehicles sold in the U.S. with a key piece of technology called an engine immobilizer and pay up to $4.5 million of restitution to people whose vehicles were damaged by thieves.
The settlement was reached by 35 states, including California, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The vehicles eligible for fixes date as far back as 2011 and as recently as 2022. About 9 million eligible vehicles were sold nationwide.
Letitia James, New York attorney general, detailed a rash of thefts across the state involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2022 were vulnerable to theft because their ignition switches could be easily bypassed and they lacked engine immobilizers, an industry standard anti-theft technology. These vulnerabilities allowed thieves to easily hotwire the vehicles within minutes. Videos detailing how to easily steal Hyundai and Kia cars went viral online, with thieves using common tools like screwdrivers and USB cables to turn on and steal the cars.
As a result of Hyundai and Kia failing to install proper anti-theft technology, car thefts surged in communities throughout New York. The number of Hyundai and Kia thefts in New York City doubled from 2021 to 2022. In the first four months of 2023, the city saw 977 car thefts, up from 148 in the same period the year prior. In the first half of 2023, Monroe County saw more than 1,400 stolen Kias and Hyundais. In Syracuse, more than half of the cars stolen in the first seven months of 2023 were Kias or Hyundais.
"Hyundai and Kia's reckless decision to forgo anti-theft measures led to a wave of car thefts that had deadly consequences," James said in December. "No one should have to fear for their lives on the road, and car companies have a responsibility to protect their customers from basic safety flaws. This settlement ensures Hyundai and Kia owners will be able to protect their cars at no cost, and I encourage all New Yorkers whose cars may be vulnerable to take these important anti-theft measures."
James said Hyundai and Kia were too slow to respond to the problem, waiting until 2023 to launch a service campaign to update the software on many affected vehicles. Hyundai and Kia also offered to install zinc sleeves that can be fitted over the ignition cylinder of vulnerable cars to protect them from theft, but only for the roughly 20% of their vehicles that were ineligible for the software update. While the companies claimed that the software update blocked the viral theft method, James and the coalition allege that the software update could be, and was, easily bypassed by thieves.
The settlement secured by Attorney General James and the coalition requires Hyundai and Kia to equip all future vehicles with engine immobilizers to prevent theft. The car companies must also provide zinc ignition cylinder sleeves at no cost to consumers through their local dealerships and continue to publicize the availability of all anti-theft measures for consumers for the next five years.